What Orlando Brown Jr. said to Cody Ford before reuniting with Bengals
Move over Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase, there's a new former college duo joining the Cincinnati Bengals. Orlando Brown Jr. and Cody Ford played two seasons together at Oklahoma. From 2016-17, Brown and Ford started a combined seven games together on the left side of the Sooners' offensive line that paved the way for eye-popping […]
Move over Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase, there's a new former college duo joining the Cincinnati Bengals.
Orlando Brown Jr. and Cody Ford played two seasons together at Oklahoma. From 2016-17, Brown and Ford started a combined seven games together on the left side of the Sooners' offensive line that paved the way for eye-popping production and 23 overall wins.
Just like Brown left for the NFL first, he inked a deal with the Bengals with Ford following suit just a day later.
Brown has been friends with Ford ever since their time together in Norman, OK. The cohesion they shared paved the way for equal success in the Big 12, but their NFL paths have contrasted in different ways.
Despite being picked a round later than Ford ended up going a year later, Brown found immediate success as a starting tackle with the Baltimore Ravens, making two Pro Bowls in three seasons. Ford also started at right tackle as a rookie for the Buffalo Bills, but was soon moved to guard in an attempt to maximize his ability.
Brown wanted to be a left tackle, so the Ravens traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs. Ford didn't fit in the Bills plans after not working out at three different positions, so the Bills released him. Both guys were on new teams after three years and eventually found themselves as free agents this offseason. Their respective trajectories, however, couldn't have been further apart.
2023 has become the inflection point that two friends couldn't have expected, but did indeed think about.
In talking to Brown on an interview with Cincy Jungle's Anthony Cosenza, the Bengals' new franchise left tackle told us the he not only talked about playing together with Ford again, but in the Queen City of all places.
"That's one of my best friends," Brown said of Ford. "We were talking in February, and he was like 'Man you know it'd be crazy to go to Cincinnati.' And, you know, I remember telling him like obviously at the time I don't know how things are gonna play out but I was like 'Yeah, that'd be insane.' And sure enough, it kind of worked out that way with him agreeing to terms the following day."
February was a busy month for Brown; preparing for and playing in the Super Bowl takes up a bit of your attention. Once the longest season of his career concluded, the future became unclear. His team made a big splash to replace him at left tackle by signing Jawaan Taylor, a right tackle, to a four-year, $80 million deal with $60 million guaranteed.
Brown was moving on, searching for a new team that would not only give him a chance to win, but to play the position he always wanted for the long-term.
He found both in Cincinnati, and sure enough, he also found his best friend.
"He had texted me once my deal went through like 'Hey I'm going to Cincinnati tomorrow,'" Brown said. "And then you know obviously he loved it coaches loving front office loved him and everything kind of worked out."
Brown's four-year, $64 million contract locks him in as a core piece of the Bengals as they try to extend their Super Bowl window. Ford's veteran minimum one-year deal does nothing of the sort. Financials aside, Cincinnati signing Ford so soon in free agency is a big enough tell that they plan on rostering him for at least this season. What his actual role will be when the time comes is unknown, but he'll figure it out with Brown by his side.
Check out our full interview with Brown in this episode of The Orange and Black Insider Bengals Podcast:
